Chuck vs the Price of Renewal
by Course Jester
Summary: It's late summer, and Chuck, Sarah, Casey and the gang are headed to the first production meeting for the new season. But rumors have been swirling, and they don't know what lies in store for them. Intended to be pure goofy fun.


_This little bit of goofiness is my way of breaking up all the angst that seems to have taken over lately. I can't really describe it; my advice is just to go with it. Hopefully you'll get a laugh or two. Thanks to **Poa**, whose early read-through convinced me that this was worth completing, and thanks also to **Wepdiggy** for a final check to make sure it was worthy of your time. I appreciate both of you!_

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_**Chuck vs. the Price of Renewal**_

Chuck strolled casually down the hallway, heading toward the old familiar conference room that had hosted so many production meetings over the last two years. He was in a great mood, mostly because until just a few months ago he thought he might never walk down this hallway again, and he was smiling and waving to all the familiar faces. His good mood was contagious, and the show's staffers were all grinning back like fools.

Then again, they might have been grinning simply because they were happy to still have jobs.

Renewal had been a close thing. NBC had taken the decision down to the wire, and even the most connected of critics and commentators hadn't known for sure which way it would go. But in the end, Caesar (well, Ben Silverman) had turned his thumb towards the heavens, and Chuck's show had been granted a reprieve. Sure, it was only for thirteen episodes and, yeah, the season wouldn't start until March 2010. Those little details sucked, but hey, a renewal was a renewal, right? Even with the caveats, Chuck felt that it was better than the alternative.

But were there more caveats to come? Well, he'd find out today. The first production meeting was due to start in ten minutes. Rumors had been flying ever since the renewal announcement; fewer writers, budgets cuts, maybe even the loss of friends. Fortunately, Chuck's two years in this crazy business had taught him not to put too much stock in rumors, and his two years as the Intersect had gotten him somewhat accustomed to facing the unknown. He decided that he would simply deal as best he could with whatever Season Three had in store and enjoy the ride.

Reaching the end of the hallway, he paused in front of the door embossed with the logo of his beloved show. Concentrating on the familiar Dymo label maker font, he took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and gave himself a very short and sweet pep talk. "Okay, Bartowski, let's get your show on the road." Feeling slightly less nervous, he opened the door and strode in.

Only one person made it here ahead of him, but he was the last person whom Chuck would have picked given the choice. The man's voice caused Chuck's small bit of courage to evaporate like the dew of a California morning.

"So nice to see you again, moron. I can't blame you for getting bored talking to yourself in the hallway, but did you have to come in here and ruin my lunch?"

Casey. Chuck hadn't seen the man in four months, but the NSA agent picked up the insults right where he'd left off. "Lovely to see you too, Colonel. Did you have fun at whatever nut-job survivalist camp you called home for the past few months?"

The big man grunted, crumbs of what appeared to be Italian bread spraying from his mouth. There was a big spread of Subway sandwiches on a table behind Casey, and he was halfway through his favorite, a large steak and cheese. Double meat, of course.

"I see that four months of R&R did nothing to sharpen that rapier wit of yours, Bartowski. As for your little joke, I would have loved nothing more than spending some quality time at a secluded ranch, exercising my Second Amendment right to blow large holes in targets with your goofy face plastered on them. However, someone had to keep the Intersect safe over hiatus."

Chuck's jaw dropped. "Are you telling me that you were watching me for the last four months? Casey, our show was on hiatus. That included the bad guys!"

Casey popped the last bite of his sub into his mouth, somehow managing to smirk as he did it. "Look, moron. NBC may take nice cushy vacations, but the NSA never sleeps. And after all the hand-wringing over our renewal, I trust the network's decision making ability even less than I trust yours. So I stayed on the job." Casey grabbed a napkin from the table behind him. He raised it to his mouth and wiped away a few crumbs, eyes fixed on Chuck the whole time. The look was coldly appraising, and Chuck got the impression that Casey was deciding on the best place to stick a knife. Chuck was right, and unfortunately Casey had decided on his heart.

"By the way, Bartowski, I couldn't help but notice that Walker didn't spend any quality time with you over our little break. It's a shame, too, because I could have used the help. Watching your pasty ass mope up and down the beach in board shorts was sheer torture."

Sarah. The mere mention of her name made Chuck's heart constrict.

Chuck hadn't heard from her all summer. He was very disappointed and hurt, but not surprised, The twists and turns in the finale's script had set everything on its head, and Sarah, already on edge, had been freaked out by both his re-Intersecting and his Neo-like kung fu display against the Ring agents. By the time the finale was over, he had no idea where their relationship stood. He'd tried to talk to her before she left but he couldn't get her alone, and in the end she'd just hugged him, given him a quick kiss on the cheek, and told him she'd be back once she'd gotten her head straightened out. He hadn't seen or talked to her since – not even after the renewal - and he had no idea what to expect when she walked into the room today.

Still thinking of Sarah, Chuck's heart leapt into his throat when he heard the door open again. It quickly slid back down to its proper place, however, when Devon and Ellie entered the room. They were holding hands, both of them glowing. Their official honeymoon had ended months ago, but you wouldn't know it to look at them.

"Hi, baby brother!" Ellie rushed over and enveloped Chuck in a massive hug. Awesome was right behind her, clapping the younger man on the shoulder. Chuck was always happy to see his sister and brother in law, but he was a little confused at their effusive greeting.

"Why the rib-cracking hug, El? Not that I mind or anything, but you just saw me last night at dinner."

Devon answered for his wife. "I guess we're both just stoked about being here again, bro. You gotta admit, it looked pretty grim there for a while."

Chuck smiled from ear to ear. "Yeah, it was a pretty nervous few weeks, huh? I know that I didn't sleep very...well..."

The door had opened again. The Awesomes looked perplexed by the dazed look that had fixed itself on Chuck's face, but when they saw who had entered, everything made sense.

It was Sarah. Chuck drank in the sight of her, tanned and beautiful, and it took every bit of self control he possessed not run into her arms. She locked eyes with him and smiled, and Chuck was a little taken aback by the intensity in her gaze. Ellie and Devon said their hellos to the blond agent, but she ignored them and walked right over to her favorite nerd.

Chuck looked like a deer in headlights. He was rocking back and forth, clearly nervous, trying to figure out exactly what to say to Sarah after four months spent apart. Fortunately for him, she literally took matters into her own hands. Before Chuck could speak, those hands were in his hair, pulling him down to where Sarah's soft, red lips were waiting.

The room melted away. Its occupants disappeared. There was nothing left in Chuck's universe except for the woman in his arms, and he was pulling her closer, holding on for dear life as she kissed him passionately.

It was sweet release. He poured everything he was feeling into that kiss, hoping that Sarah would finally understand all the things that he didn't know how to say. The almosts, the could-haves, the near misses that had haunted Chuck for two years; all of them were burned away in the heat of their embrace. It was finally a simple lack of oxygen that forced them apart, and Chuck was more than a bit chagrined that a little thing like suffocation should end that world-shattering kiss.

Devon whistled. Ellie beamed. Casey grunted. And Sarah...

Sarah smiled, and that smile lit up the whole room. That smile was the most beautiful thing that Chuck had ever seen, and it took his breath away again. He pulled her in close, and she rested her head on his shoulder, her hair tickling his face. Chuck inhaled deeply, and the scent of her strawberry shampoo was like the breath of life. The taste of her lips was still on his, and in that moment he knew that he'd chase her to the moon and back if she ever tried to leave him again.

"Wow. I've been dreaming about that for months."

Sarah pulled back far enough to look him in the eyes. "Just months, Chuck? I've dreamed about a kiss like that my entire life." As if to prove the point, she kissed him again, gently and tenderly this time, then settled back into him.

"This season is going to be different, Chuck. I promise." She tilted her head upwards for another kiss, but a voice from behind halted her lips barely halfway to their destination.

"Truer words were never spoken, Agent Walker."

Josh Schwartz had entered the room.

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_Dun-dun-DUN! Is it me, or do you picture Josh in a Darth Vader helmet, with the Imperial March playing him into the room? Hee! I promise that I'm not abusing any controlled substances. Cross my heart._

_Now that that's settled, do you like it? Leave a review and let me know! Just one more chapter to go, and in it we'll see what "improvements" Schwartz and Fedak have in mind._

_Thanks for reading!_


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